Hoosac Valley Girls Past Test Against Lee
CHESHIRE, Mass. – After three blowout wins to start the season, the Hoosac Valley girls lacrosse team needed to be firing on all cylinders to get past Lee on Friday afternoon.
The Hurricanes got five goals from Emma Meczywor in a 7-4 win, but it also got big contributions that did not show up in the box score.
“Obviously, I’m proud of Emma, she got the goals,” Hurricanes coach Molly Meczywor said. “But what we’ve been talking about since the beginning is: The little things equal the big things.
“We did a great job on the draws today. Earning possession is a huge motivator for us. … Maryn [Cappiello] and Tia [Kareh] and Mallory [Mazzeo] do a really nice job, collectively, in transition. .. Just a lot of smaller things today, that is nice to see.
“And Lee is good. We always have tight games with them. So we knew going in that it was going to come down to doing a couple of the little things.”
The Hurricanes (4-0) jumped out to a 2-0 lead early on a couple of goals by Meczywor in the first five minutes.
But the Wildcats answered when Brianna Kelly set up Annette Boyko at about the six-minute mark. Less than a moment later, Boyko scored again to tie it.
And with about 10 minutes left in the half, Boyko converted an assist from Naima Clark to complete the natural hat trick and give Lee a 3-2 lead.
But Hoosac Valley ripped off four goals to end the half and take a three-goal lead into the break.
First, Jacinta Felix converted a ground ball she picked up on the left wing to tie it. Then Meczywor scored with an assist from Lauren Davis to put the hosts back in front for good at 4-3.
The Hurricanes ended the half with six goals, but their 6-3 lead could have been bigger without the play of Sierra Beckman, who stopped seven first-half shots on her way to a nine-goal performance.
Meczywor scored in the first minute of the second half to give Hoosac Valley a four-goal cushion, and the Hurricanes focused on ball possession most of the second half – for the most part looking to bleed the clock and not go to goal.
Hoosac Valley is back at it on Monday when it travels to Amherst.
Lee hosts Springfield Central on Tuesday.